Chingri (Prawn) Malai Curry : A Delicacy From Bengal

Chingri Malai curry is an all-time famous Bengali dish which is prepared with prawns/lobsters blended with coconut gravy and mild spices. This gravy has to be cooked with right mix of spices in a delicate manner and it would have a delicious mix of sweetness of the coconut milk with the taste of the prawn mixed with exotic spices. 

The Chingri Macher Malai’s taste could not be explained in words alone, one has to savor it to feel the richness. When cooked with care, it surpasses all other dishes kept for either lunch or dinner. This dish gets A one preference for  guests, big celebratory buffets and weddings. In a nutshell, it is simply a fabulous dish that epitomizes the sense of Bengali cuisine. It’s what makes an elegant Bengali classic which definitely sums up this dish.  

Ingredients:
500 gms Prawns, de-veined, medium to large size (you can keep the tail on)
2 Onions ground to paste (squeeze out the excess water from the paste)
200 ml Coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp Garlic paste
1 tbspchopped Ginger
2 Bay leavesr
4 Cardamoms
2 " inch Cinnamon
4 Cloves
1 tsp Deggi Mirch powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
Pinch of Sugar
3-4 drops of Lemon drops for marinating prawns
2 tbsp Ghee
1/4 cup Water
Salt to taste
3 tbsp Mustard oil (yes this recipe calls for mustard oil only, incase you want to replace use vegetable oil)

Method:
Wash thoroughly the prawns and sprinkle some salt, turmeric and lemon juice over them.Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan on low flame and fry the prawns in batches just for few seconds as prawns are very tender meat, over frying would make them rubbery. Keep aside the fried prawns. 

In the same pan add bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, cloves, chopped ginger and garlic. Once the garlic turns light brown add onion paste. Stir and cover it with a lid. Once the onion paste begins to brown sprinkle some water and fry it by stirring continuously. Add coriander powder, turmeric, chilly powder, salt, sugar and stir well. 

Cook till it separates oil from the sides of the pan. Add 1/4 cup water and coconut milk not on low flame and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add prawns now, cover and cover for another 4-5 minutes. Garnish it with slitted green chillies. This goes best with Rice, Ghee Bhat.